Almost Free Travel- Overland & Sea

I love flying, but sometimes it’s cheaper, and even more beautiful, to travel overland. I love taking trains, boats and ferries, and I even like sleeping on buses sometimes, like the time I went from Vienna to Amsterdam a few months ago and had six empty seats in the back row of the second story of a Flixbus all to myself. I had a long, luxurious sleep and woke up in another country! The best part? It was included in a special deal; five European countries for 100 Euro.

Of course, there were some drawbacks, but you can decide for yourself whether the sacrifices are worth the super cheap, almost free travel by overland and sea.

Megabus Rules

I’ve got to begin with Megabus because I absolutely love, love, love Megabus! I used to take Greyhound to visit my family, or when I was traveling domestically. Their prices kept rising dramatically, but what made me pissed off was that their customer service was horrific. They were THE goto for transportation for a long time for poor people, and they didn’t give a shit about their customers because there was very little competition.

Not anymore.

Suddenly Greyhound is desperate because they’re not only competing with Chinatown buses between NY and Boston and DC, and many other cities, but they now have to fight for customers who choose Megabus, Bolt Bus, and other companies that are springing up around the country.

I love that I can usually grab the front seat which has a table where I can work on my laptop, enjoy my meal, and charge my phone. Plus, they’re nice to me when I bring my little terrorist, Lola, who is actually a service dog since I had an accident. And that reminds me, a little secret they do not advertise; if you are disabled or a senior and you need a companion to help you, (I cannot lift heavy bags, and was using a cane in the past), your helper rides free. Seriously.

Oh, and the best part; Megabus offers tickets for a buck. Yup. I have ridden many times to places like Boston, Providence, DC, and Philly from NYC for only one dollar.

Yes, there are conditions. Most people aren’t willing to take a 2:00 am bus and can no longer buy bus tickets a month or two in advance, but it is still doable.

I even scored a ticket from NYC to Canada once for $1.00. They don’t offer these dirt cheap prices as often as they used to, but since their regular prices are around $15-$20 you can still get amazing deals.

Check them out, and be sure to tell them I love them.

Flixbus 

Yes, I can have a love affair with more than one bus; I’m a travel ho, and I’m fickle and declare my love to any company who gives the best deal.

There are incredibly cheap flights to and around Europe, but Flixbus (actually part of Megabus which is huge in Europe) has a deal where you can get choose five destinations in Europe for $109. I was hesitant when I initially heard about this special and almost didn’t buy the ticket. I thought the destinations on their routes would suck but they actually do go to Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Milan, and most of the places I wanted to visit. I was scared (I’m always nervous when traveling on a small budget) but I took the plunge and I am so glad I did.

The conditions: you have to use your 5 bus vouchers within 3 months and you can’t do a direct round trips, for example, you cannot go from London to Paris and back to London, but it’s perfect for people who are able to fly in to one country and out of another; another fantastic way to save money, by the way.

Plus, unlike Ryan Air or EasyJet who have severe luggage restrictions, Flibus has a generous allowance.

Timeshares

I wrote about Timeshares in the Almost Free Travel series here, but I’ll just mention again that you can sometimes get incredible deals (even free) if you’re willing to listen to a brief spiel (haha, that’s bs; they SAY it’s only an hour and a half, but more like three or four hours!) about how wonderful owning a timeshare is. Practice saying no before you go, but be prepared; in exchange for a “free” flight, or train or bus ride, (and usually, accommodations and food will be included, if you’re a good negotiator) you’re their prisoners for a few hours. But just keep your legs crossed like a nun watching OITNB, and you’ll have a fantastic (almost free) trip.

Hire a taxi/ tour operator

Sometimes it’s incredibly affordable to hire a taxi or tour driver for the day. My sister and I joined a group from China and hired a tour bus for the day on St. Maarten. My sister freaked out, however, when the demure, ultra- conservative wife of the uber-wealthy businessman who was the leader of the group insisted the driver take us to the “Daddy Day Care (strip club) and to the nude beach!

Hiring a private taxi is often much cheaper than you would expect, especially in countries like Bali, Thailand, or other places.

But when negotiating, be frugal; don’t be cheap.

Sure, a taxi driver may try to get an extra buck from you, but when you’re in an impoverished country like India is paying $1 for a 50 cent ride going to kill you? That extra dollar can feed an entire family for days. I used to brag about bargains I got from markets and souks until I learned how much the average vendor earns for one year. It’s appalling.

While I do haggle (it’s almost a sport in many countries), I do it with humor and I know when to give in. Ask politely if you can get a discount but don’t accuse someone of trying to screw you over because you’re a tourist. Yes, it could be true, but bargaining is usually done with respect, humor, and fun.

Hop on a Ferry

I love taking the Staten Island Ferry when tourist friends come to visit. It’s a lovely, short, 20-25 minute ride past The Statue of Liberty, and the best part; it’s free! But now NYC has several ferries to & from Brooklyn, Queens, and New Jersey. I’ve taken ferries in places like Thailand and other countries as well, but be really careful while abroad. One of my favorite bloggers in the world, Adventurous Kate, had a traumatic experience being shipwrecked in Indonesia, so check out her article on how to avoid having a similar terrifying experience.

In spite of friends having dangerous experiences, I still feel thrilled when I take ferries. My favorite ferry in the world is the ferry from St. Thomas to St. John. I absolutely love this boat, probably because it takes me to one of my favorite places in the world. If I could buy a house anywhere in the world, I think I might choose St. John. Or Marrakech. Or Jamaica. Oh, forget it; this is why I’m a travel blogger; I can’t choose! But with really cheap ferry prices, why choose when you can live a life of endless travel, hopping around from place to place like a wealthy jet-setter. Or maybe more like a little gypsy nomad.

The Man in Seat 61

Overland From Malaysia to Thailand

I’m not gonna’ lie. I was an idiot thinking that I was going to write the most romantic, beautiful story about taking a train from one country to another. I had visions of myself staring out at the landscape as the train sped along past mountains and farms as I sat in my luxury, first class, private sleeper car, sipping freshly squeezed mango juice, and joining other affluent travelers in the first class dining car for gourmet, decadent Thai meals of duck and succulent shrimp.

Hell, no. That is not what happened.

First of all, my “friend” in Bali had given me a damn supplement or some shit to help me cleanse my body the night before my journey. I think he gave me a double dose. He had been pressuring me for days to try this shit, and I kept refusing, explaining that once I got back to America I was going into a 12 step food program that works just fine, but he kept nagging me so I took it to shut him up. Big mistake.

Next, I did not realize that in Malaysia there is a new bus station and an old one, and it cost a damn grip to get from the airport to the terminal. I paid an Uber about $40 for an hour-long ride which got me to the worst “luxury” bus ride I’ve ever taken. The toilet (which I only found toward the end of my very long bus ride) was horrific. Since absolutely no one spoke English, I was under the impression that there was no toilet on the bus, so I had to hold it (and we aren’t talking about pee here) until we got to rest stops every few hours. The rest stop toilets were slightly cleaner, but man, the smell from the toilet…basically a hole in the floor of the bus, was horrific. Sorry, I used that word already, but there is no other way to describe the very painful experience I had on that bus ride.

Oh, and what no one told me was that once you get to the border in Thailand, after having your fingerprints taken, there is a special line for disabled people. However, although the man was only semi-rude and waved me through when another passenger explained that I could barely stand, he forgot to stamp my passport. Which meant that I was held at the airport for hours and hours when I was leaving Bangkok for my flight home.

But, back to the romantic train ride. No one also told me that the overland luxury train ticket I had bought meant that I had to take several buses, and then walk 20 minutes after crossing the border, and then catch a minivan, then another bus, before getting to the train.

And there is only one first-class sleeper car on each train. And it was already booked. And me and my disability had to figure out how to climb up into a bunk that was the most uncomfortable bed I’ve ever slept on. No window to look out of. No way to upgrade for a bottom sleeper bunk. And the first class dining car food sucked.

So would I suggest you fly instead? Hell, no. I would do it all over again. I know flights are cheap around Asia, but not only did I save on accommodations, I got to meet the most incredible women on my journey, including a 70-year-old who had ridden by bicycle for 900 kilometers across Cambodia with two backpacks that were bigger than her, without knowing the language or having accommodations booked in advance, and I met a Thai prostitute who I ended up staying overnight at the Thai border with and sharing a hotel. She took me to get incredible foot massages, we shared a hotel room, and went to the night market together. Because I have chronic pain from my accident and was not feeling well thanks to the “cleanse”, my trip was challenging, but I would do it all over again for the beautiful memories of the people I met along the way. But next time, I’ll pack light.

 Rome 2 Rio

If you want to get anywhere from plane, train, bus, ferry or car, Rome to Rio is a fabulous site. I hate doing all the legwork when I’m planning a trip on a budget. Okay, that’s not true; I love it. I love saying, “Oh, my God, it is sooo frustrating trying to figure out the best, cheapest way to get from Morocco to Spain to Paris.” I’m going to f*ing Morocco and Spain and Paris!!! But it does make the pre-planning a helluva’ lot easier when you can simply type in the places you’re going in the search bar and have the best, and usually cheapest, options pop up!

I hope these tips inspire you to take that trip you’ve been dreaming of. Please don’t let a lack of money stop you. If you believe in the Law of Attraction like I do, you’ll find that there will always be a way, if you’re willing to be open, and if you can dream it, the way will present itself.

Do you have any other suggestions on how to travel overland? Have you ever taken a “romantic” train trip, or traveled by bus? Was it a good experience, or did you a crazy or frightening experience? Please comment below.